HIGH SCHOOL BOYS HOOPS: Barnes-Moran returns to Model - where his coaching career began

Dylan Barnes-Moran was still a student at Eastern Kentucky University when he — unexpectedly — got his first coaching job.

"I was going into my junior year. I was majoring in sports management. I saw that Model Laboratory was hiring for a volunteer (basketball coach)," Barnes-Moran said.

He was just 20.

Model coach Wes Scarberry, however, offered him the position.

Just a few months later, the freshman coach quit and Barnes-Moran stepped into that role. The next year, he was coaching the junior varsity team.

"I hadn't even graduated yet," Barnes-Moran said with a laugh.

A decade later, Barnes-Moran is back at place where his coaching career began.

On Monday, he was named Model Laboratory's new varsity basketball coach.

"That's something you can't make up," said Barnes-Moran, a native of Nelson County. "That's something that truly excites me. It all started here. This is the place I've wanted to be for years."

Barnes-Moran takes over for Chris Evans, who was recently named the new head coach at Western Hills.

In three seasons, Evans had a 44-48 record.

"In all my years of being an athletic director, I've never had so many people e-mail me about one candidate. Never," Model athletic director Scotty Sutton said. "Players. Former players. Coaches. I heard from so many who thought this program would benefit from having coach Barnes-Moran lead us into the future."

After two seasons as Model Laboratory while still a student at EKU, Barnes-Moran joined the staff of Eric Swords at Berea Community.

He later served as an assistant when the coach moved on to Whitley County (2022).

"We hit it off and he is one of my best friends now," Barnes-Moran said of Swords. "He's been a mentor to me."

In 2023, Barnes-Moran got his first head coaching position. He led Nicholas County to 17 wins — the most victories for the program in 25 years. The Blue Jackets were the 10th Region All "A" runner-up and beat Harrison County for the first time in a decade.

After the season, his wife, Chelsea, gave birth to their son, Carter.

Complications from the pregnancy — for the mother and child — led to Barnes-Moran's decision to step away from coaching, at least temporarily.

"I coached through the summer to see if we could make it work, but those issues didn't really get any better," Barnes-Moran said. "So, we felt like we needed to go back to Whitley County, closer to family."

After a year away, Barnes-Moran returned to coaching, serving as the associate head coach and junior varsity coach under Evans at Model Laboratory.

The Patriots put together one of the best seasons in school history in 2025-2026, posting a 19-13 record, finishing as the 44th District runner-up and advancing to the 11th Region Tournament for the first time in 11 years.

Barnes-Moran believes there is a lot of momentum around the program — and the school — and is looking to build on that positivity.

"We have a new school coming (in 2028)," he said. "We have a lot of youth in our program. We lost two guys who accounted for a lot of our production. But, we are returning three starters and everyone I had last year on JV."